The Broadway League Launches Viva Broadway

(New York, NY) May 11, 2012 – The Broadway League has created Viva Broadway, a new audience development partnership with the Hispanic community, to help bridge the world of Broadway with Latino audiences around the country.

{module ad_left_bodyt}The long-term initiative aims to increase awareness about Broadway while culturally enriching lives, bringing families together, and building new careers in the theatre. A National Advisory Board of industry and cultural notables has been formed to help strategize and spread the word about all that Broadway has to offer this growing and vibrant community.

Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League states, “Broadway is a live art form that is about creating emotions and developing a connection with audiences across the world, and this connection is enhanced when families come to Broadway together. Our mission of attracting more people to Broadway is particularly applicable to a community whose culture appreciates and values family activities shared by multiple generations together.”

Carlos Manzano, executive director of New York City’s Latin Media and Entertainment Commission states, "Our mission is to make New York City the capital of Latin media and entertainment. And this great Commission is proud to endorse the Broadway League's Viva Broadway initiative to bring the world of Broadway to the Latin community."

The most burgeoning growth demographic, Hispanics comprise 5.5 million of the population in the NY/NJ tri-state area and over 50 million in the U.S. and growing. However, this vibrant audience is not represented in a similar proportion in attendance on Broadway in NYC and across the country.

The goal is to draw from an untapped market while making Broadway more relevant to Hispanic families and their lifestyles. An objective is to work with and support Hispanic media outlets in their coverage of Broadway to increase awareness and awaken a desire to attend shows. The initiative will include education on all things Broadway such as how to buy Broadway tickets, how to find out what’s playing, who’s on stage, and more. For career development, Viva Broadway will create Broadway Speakers Bureaus and workshops in order to expand awareness of jobs in the theatre to high schools and colleges.